Somalia Explosion: Death Toll Rises To 276

The death toll in the bombing in Somalia has risen to 276, according to official figures.

Somalia has been thrown into a state of mourning following the death of 276 people in an explosion.

Somalia’s Information Minister, Abdirahman Osman, said on Sunday that around 300 others were also wounded in the attack at a busy road junction.

The truck bomb explosion also destroyed several buildings and vehicles.

Osman called the attack “barbaric.”

Also, the Somalia President, Mohamed Farmaajo, on Sunday declared three days of national mourning.

“We will observe three days of mourning for innocent victims, flags will be flown at half-mast. Time to unite and pray together. Terror won’t win,” Mr. Farmaajo said in a statement posted on the presidency’s official Twitter account on Sunday.

World leaders have since condemned the attack, considered the worst ever bomb attack in the East African country.

The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged all Somalis “to unite in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism and work together in building a functional and inclusive federal state”.

The Secretary-General, in a statement by Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesperson, commended the first respondents and residents of Mogadishu for mobilising aid during the attack.